Silent Screams
by xFallingStarsx
Summary: What happens when a mute warrior witnesses a murder and is unable to tell? Whispersong descends slowly into madness... Could she even be responsible for the multiple murders that follow the first? Rated T for later chapters.
1. Allegiances and Prologue

**Hi everyone! This is my first attempt at a Warriors horror story XD. Just so you guys know, it won't start getting very horror-like until later chapters, but please wait it out and your patience shall be rewarded =). It would also really make my day if you readers could tell me what you think of the story so far! All positive feedback, including constructive criticism, is greatly appreciated. So please read on and enjoy the story! x**

**Disclaimer:**** The Warriors stories belong to Erin Hunter. The only things that are mine in this story are my own characters and plot.**

**Author's Note – The Allegiances and prologue are combined in this chapter. The next chapter will also be longer, since this is only the prologue, so never fear XD.**

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><p><em><strong>Silent Screams<strong>_

_**RiverClan Allegiances**_

**Leader: **Stormstar – Large and muscular pale grey tom with green eyes

**Deputy: **Blackstream – Jet-black she-cat with piercing blue eyes (Apprentice: Springpaw)

**Medicine Cat: **Rowanheart – Light brown tabby tom with a white streak on his forehead and yellow eyes (Apprentice: Fishpaw)

**Warriors: **Whispersong – Slim silver tabby she-cat with a white chest and eerie pale green eyes

Snowcloud – Beautiful pure white she-cat with blue eyes

Nightheart – Muscular black-and-grey tom with amber eyes

Dewfrost – Pretty grey tabby she-cat with soft green eyes

Cloudfur – Thick-furred pale grey-and-white tom with green eyes (Mate: Dawnsky; Kit: Hailkit)

Whitemist – Small white she-cat with amber eyes (Apprentice: Dustpaw)

Eaglefeather – Dark brown tabby-and-white tom with yellow eyes

Ashpelt – Grey tom with one black forepaw and amber eyes

Russetclaw – Dark ginger tom with yellow eyes (Apprentice: Sorrelpaw) (Mate: Raindapple; Kits: Specklekit & Sunkit)

Brownstripe – Light brown tabby tom with very dark stripes and green eyes (Apprentice: Hazelpaw)

Birdwing – Beautiful tortoiseshell tabby she-cat with a white tail-tip and green eyes

Hawkshadow – Brown tom with a bushy tail and amber eyes (Apprentice: Patchpaw)

Poppyflower – Pale tortoiseshell she-cat with warm yellow eyes

Brookfeather – Ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**Apprentices: **Springpaw – Black-and-white she-cat with green eyes (Mentor: Blackstream)

Fishpaw – Very dark grey she-cat with pale blue eyes (Mentor: Rowanheart)

Dustpaw – Thick-furred grey-brown tom with amber eyes (Mentor: Whitemist)

Sorrelpaw – Brown-and-white she-cat with green eyes (Mentor: Russetclaw)

Hazelpaw – Ginger-and-brown she-cat with blue eyes (Mentor: Brownstripe)

Patchpaw – Muscular dark grey-and-white tom with amber eyes (Mentor: Hawkshadow)

**Queens: **Dawnsky – Pale grey she-cat with amber eyes (Mate: Cloudfur; Kit: Hailkit – Fluffy grey tabby tom with green eyes)

Raindapple – Pretty blue-grey she-cat with dark grey flecks and green eyes (Mate: Russetclaw; Kits: Specklekit – Grey tabby she-cat with white forepaws and amber eyes, & Sunkit – Ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes)

**Elders: **Dapplefur – Blind and elderly tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

Smoketail – Silver tabby tom with blue eyes

Darkstorm – Small jet-black tom with patchy fur and dull amber eyes

_**Prologue**_

The clearing at the heart of the RiverClan camp was bathed in bright morning sunlight. Birds were singing their songs in the trees overhead and the first patrol of the day was already well on its way into the forest. A bush at the edge of the camp rustled and a small bundle of snow-white fluff tumbled out into the open, paws flailing and tail sticking straight up. A second bundle, this time silver, immediately followed and barreled into the first, knocking it off its feet. With an excited squeak the white one retaliated, and the pair were soon rolling over and over on the sandy earth.

There was another rustle and a pretty grey tabby slid out of the nursery after her kits, her warm green eyes shining with affection as she watched them play. The white kit growled playfully as she swatted at her littermate's ear with a forepaw, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. The silver tabby opened her mouth in a silent mew of protest before leaping onto her sister's back and standing over her, a smug look plastered on her face. The white she-kit started to struggle, but before she could wriggle free there came the sound of approaching pawsteps and both kittens turned to watch curiously as a light brown tabby tom padded over from the far side of the clearing. To the young kits he appeared huge, and there was a peculiar streak of white fur on his forehead. However, his yellow eyes were soft and full of compassion.

"Hello, Dewfrost," he greeted the kits' mother, coming to a halt in front of her. "I see that Snowkit and Whisperkit are finally out of the nursery."

The queen purred. "Yes, Rowanheart, it's their first time out. I promised they could explore the camp as long as they don't get under any cat's paws."

Rowanheart let out a good-natured _mrrow_ of amusement. "That's asking for a near miracle, that is! Kits are born to make mischief!" He turned his gaze to the kittens, who were both staring up at him in awe. "Hello, you two. My name's Rowanheart. I'm the Clan's medicine cat."

"H-Hello," squeaked the white kit, Snowkit, shyly. Her sister's mouth opened as she tried to greet Rowanheart too, but no sound came out. The tom gave her a quizzical look.

"Your name's Whisperkit, isn't it?" he asked her kindly, noticing Dewfrost stiffen slightly out of the corner of his eye. "How old are you now?"

"Almost two moons," Dewfrost meowed at once, a somewhat defensive edge to her voice.

The medicine cat flicked an ear at her. "Let Whisperkit answer." He peered intently at the silver tabby and mewed, "Can you say something for me?"

Whisperkit's pale green eyes grew puzzled as she opened her mouth again and received no response from Rowanheart except a concerned glance. The pale-furred tom then switched his attention back to Dewfrost.

"Why don't you let them go and play by themselves for a while? Maybe one of the apprentices will be able to give them a tour of the camp," he suggested pointedly.

Dewfrost seemed to get the message that he wanted to have a conversation with her without Whisperkit and Snowkit overhearing. Feeling uncomfortable, she nodded and encouraged her daughters to go and talk to Whitepaw, who was passing the nursery with a mouthful of bedding for the elders. When the little she-kits had scampered off towards the white apprentice, Dewfrost sighed.

"Look, Rowanheart, I –" she began, but the medicine cat cut her off.

"How long has Whisperkit been unable to produce sounds?"

The pretty queen took a deep breath, as though trying her best to steady herself. "She never has been able to. Snowkit began speaking at one moon, which I know is normal, but Whisperkit has been completely unresponsive all this time. At first I just thought she was shy, but…" Her voice trailed away hopelessly.

Rowanheart shook his head slowly as a horrible thought forced its way into it. If Whisperkit was making no vocal noises whatsoever… "Dewfrost," he mewed sadly, "I think Whisperkit might be mute. I'm so sorry."


	2. Chapter One

**Hi again everyone! This is the next chapter of my new horror story. Many thanks to the people who reviewed and added this story to their favourites or story alerts! You guys really made me happy XD. From now on I'll be replying to reviewers at the end of chapters and will mention as many as I can =). So please read on and enjoy the story! x**

**Disclaimer:**** The Warriors stories belong to Erin Hunter. The only things that are mine in this story are my own characters and plot.**

**Author's Note – This story takes place in the old forest, just in case anyone gets confused about that. And this chapter is really just to give you readers an idea of what's been going on in the time between what happened in the prologue and now, since there has been a pretty big leap. As well as that, it's mostly a build-up towards the main part of the story, which is definitely coming up soon.**

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><p><em><strong>Chapter One<strong>_

The sun was sinking low in the sky, shedding blood-red light over the forest and reflecting off the calm surface of the river as it wound its way through RiverClan territory. Two cats sat together on the shore, their pelts brushing, staring out at the shimmering water. One had sleek pure white fur and beautiful eyes the colour of pale sapphires. The other had a smooth silver pelt with dark tabby markings, a distinctive splash of white fur on its chest and eerily-pale green eyes. For a time the two felines continued to gaze out over the water, lost in their own thoughts.

The four Clans – RiverClan, ThunderClan, WindClan and ShadowClan – had been at peace for a while now. There had been very few skirmishes along the borders, no prey had been reported stolen, and the leaders spoke civilly to each other at every full moon Gathering. Indeed, life in the forest had rarely ever been so quiet and peaceful.

For the cats of RiverClan, this meant good news. The Clan was thriving with plentiful food and a complete lack of disease. There were new litters of kits to care for, the apprentices were learning quickly, and the elders still had a lot of life left in them. The warriors had been fulfilling their duties of providing for their Clanmates so efficiently that there had been very little for their leader, Stonestar, to complain about – something which every cat considered to be a definite bonus. And, on top of all of that, two new warriors had been appointed to the ranks after completing their assessment with flying colours.

Presently, Whispersong and Snowcloud were happily reminiscing about the ceremony that had taken place only a week ago, the ceremony that had seen them earn their warrior names at last. It had been a joyous occasion for everyone involved – but for Whispersong most of all. For a long time it had been a topic of much debate whether she would even be permitted to become a warrior at all, due to her unfortunate disablement; Whispersong was mute. This had caused most of her Clanmates to come to the conclusion that she would be hindered during warrior duties, particularly in battles or patrols. They were concerned that, without a voice, Whispersong would never be able to warn the other cats of dangers or make decisions within the Clan like any ordinary warrior would. However, despite the many flaws that had plagued the she-cat all her life, Stonestar had eventually been swayed by the arguments of Dewfrost, Whispersong's mother, who had fiercely declared that _both_ of her kits deserved the chance to prove themselves worthy. In the end, the leader had relented and Whispersong had been apprenticed alongside her sister before, at long last, becoming a fully-trained warrior of RiverClan. This was truly what miracles were made of, Whispersong had thought proudly as she received her name, glad that she was allowed to live her dream.

The silver tabby let out a silent sigh of contentment as she watched a water vole scurry about on the far side of the river. But that was where ThunderClan's territory began and Whispersong knew better than to swim across and try to catch it. It simply wasn't worth getting into a fight with ThunderClan over, especially now that RiverClan had enough food to sustain them in their own territory.

Snowcloud, Whispersong's sister, had also seen the little creature. Her ears pricked and she sniffed the air, kneading the pebbles with her snowy forepaws. "I could sure do with a bite of that vole," she murmured, mostly to herself. "I haven't tasted it in ages!"

Whispersong flicked an ear in agreement. Like all RiverClan cats her preferred diet was fish, but that didn't mean she was opposed to eating other kinds of prey now and again, and she had to admit that water vole was definitely one of her favourites.

Beside her, Snowcloud glanced up at the sky. The sun had almost completely disappeared below the horizon now, and the white she-cat seemed to decide that it was time for the two of them to head home. She stood up and touched Whispersong with her tail-tip. "Come on, slowpoke! I'll race you back to camp."

Whispersong's eyes gleamed at the challenge. She got to her feet and hared after Snowcloud as her sibling raced away into the lush Greenleaf undergrowth. The pair leaped over tiny brooks and weaved around bushes and trees, relishing the coolness of the evening wind on their pelts. Soon they were approaching the small island where RiverClan had its camp, well-concealed among trailing willow branches. Whispersong, now in the lead, swam easily across the stream surrounding it and made her way inside.

The first thing she noticed was a muscular black-and-grey tom crouching outside the entrance to the warriors' den, swallowing what appeared to be the remains of a large fish. Whispersong's spirits plummeted a little when she saw him. It was Nightheart, the cat whom Snowcloud had been padding after since they both were apprentices. It wasn't that Whispersong minded her sister wanting a mate, but there was just something about the dark tom that she didn't like.

Nightheart's piercing golden eyes rested on her, narrowing ever so slightly as they did so. But then Snowcloud came bounding through the camp entrance and his expression seemed to lighten. "Hey, Snowcloud!" he greeted her.

Snowcloud purred at the sight of him, causing Whispersong to cringe inwardly. _Why_ couldn't her sister have her eye on some other tom? Snowcloud didn't appear to register her sister's discomfort, however, as she suggested brightly, "Let's go and sit with Nightheart."

_Whatever you say,_ Whispersong thought gloomily, aware that she had little choice in the matter. She shrugged and followed the white she-cat across the sun-baked earth.

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><p><strong>Author's Note – I'm aware that this chapter is quite short and probably boring, despite my best efforts to make it good =(. I take comfort only in the fact that it's at least longer than the prologue (minus the allegiances) lol! It got a tiny bit rushed towards the end though, since I got writer's block about how to finish the chapter and wanted to upload it quickly, so I apologise about the abruptness of the ending. Never fear though, you'll get to hear more about Nightheart and why Whispersong doesn't trust him in the next chapter, which will (hopefully!) be a lot better than this one! So please keep reading and leaving me your lovely reviews XD. Also, sorry about the many random author's notes! You guys have been very patient while reading them and I appreciate it =).<strong>

**Replies to reviews:**

**Rainb0wshine**** – **_**Thanks so much for your review, it made me smile =). I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**_

**Foxface – **_**Thank you for your review! I love it when people show an interest in my stories =). More chapters will be coming up soon!**_


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